Summary

Part availability and clarity are two focuses of the ShapeOko project. This page is your resource to find the descriptions and discussion links for each part you will need in order to build a ShapeOko mill.

The following is a detailed list of parts required to build a ShapeOko CNC machine. In addition, there are a number of commodity items found in most hardware/home improvement stores which may be of use when building, upgrading or operating the machine (please see the list under Additional / Commodity Items below). Other parts, such as Stepper Motors, stepper drivers, power supplies, or microcontrollers are less likely to be found in a local store, and will probably have to be purchased from specialty shops or ordered from the online suppliers. Other parts, such as the open end plates and the motor mount plates were designed specifically for this project and are custom manufactured (but CAD files are available, and for the open end plates there are even instructions for making them with basic hand tools).

Spacers

One of the most important aspects of a CNC mill is linear motion and the resultant need for parts to be in rigid, fixed relationships. One way to do that is w/ various sorts of spacers which are available in a myriad of sizes and a variety of materials.

If your kit is missing spacers, or they are unavailable in your locale, then a suitable stack of washers is a workable alternative.

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3/8" x 5/16" x #12 bore Aluminum Spacer

Spacer used to clear space for the threaded rod between the Spindle Carriage Assembly and the Z-Assembly Carriage

Spacer used for the M5 bolts (5mm is ~i.d.) holding the MakerSlide to the Z-axis Rail Assembly's Motor Mount Plates. Must match the thickness of the spacers below. Forum discussion on the spacers and alternatives in Re: Wave Disc Spring & Cutting MakerSlide.

A pair of spacers is used for each of the M5 x 70mm bolts in the Z-assembly Carriage --- providing slightly more space than the 53mm of spacing which was used in the SO1 Double MakerSlide upgrade they provide for space between the rails to run cables (~0.16").

Washers

Commodity hardware used to make fasteners hold more securely and to prevent them from damaging the underlying surface. Note that spring / lock washers may be suited to some usages. Note that the SO3 also uses M6 hardware.

The Shapeoko 3 has begun using precision shims rather than the commodity part.

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M6 Flat Washer

Inexpensive in packs of 100 or more at hardware or fastener stores.

I.D. 6.62--6.4, O.D. 11.57--12, Thickness 1.4--1.8

Hardware store, Specialty Hardware Store, Specialty Vendors

M5 Flat Washer

Inexpensive in packs of 100 or more at hardware or fastener stores.

Stacks of them can stand in for spacers, and if need be they make a suitable temporary stand-in for a precision shim in an idler wheel if one comes up short.

Nuts

For the most part, commodity hardware used to allow bolts to fasten. There are also specialty post-assembly insertion nuts which are designed to be inserted into MakerSlide slots (rather than the openings at each end of a rail) allowing one flexibility in the placement of parts after assembly.

Note that the SO3 also uses M6 hardware.

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M5 Hex Nut

One option is to grind these down so that they fit in the MakerSlide slots in lieu of the insertion nuts below.

Screws/Bolts

Threaded fasteners used to hold the machine together and attach accessories and components. Availability of specific lengths may be a constraint locally --- one option is to use the "ship-to-store" option of some chain stores.

The SO1 used socket head cap screws (SHCS) throughout, while the SO2 has switched to mostly button head caps screws (BHCS). The selected head is mostly a matter of price, convenience or style and doesn't affect the functionality so long as it doesn't interfere w/ the machine's motion.

Similarly, while black oxide is the finish used for the fasteners in current (and previous) kits, there's no especial reason for it other than cost / availability, and while hardware is available in a number of different grades, even the standard grade are more than strong enough.[7][8]

Originally, for the original ShapeOko an 8mm screw was specified, this was changed in later batches to 10mm, and the SO2 now uses 12mm to hold the MakerSlide to the end and motor mount plates. Larger machines may benefit from longer lengths. The eShapeOko uses 14 and 18mm by default.[11]. SHCS uses 4mm hex key.

SHCS: Normally head height is equal to diameter. Head diameter: 8.14--8.5mm

Structure

The steel plates are laser cut and powder coated for the SO2 and SO3 (depending on the vendor, some parts may be punched on a turret press). Tolerance for the laser is (roughly) +/- .02mm - .10mm. The thickness of the powder coat is .08mm to .127mm. If the laser errs on the minus side and the powder coating is on the thicker side, it may be necessary to remove the powder coating with a file, sandpaper or other tool.[12]

Note that the Shapeoko 3 plates are made of 10 gauge (~3.42mm thick) steel.

Some production runs, depending on vendor may instead be punched out using a turret press (and other machines?).

The Shapeoko originally used Makerslide, a linear motion rail system developed by Bart Dring. It is an aluminum extrusion (Aluminum 6105-T5) w/ an excellent combination of strength, functionality and price/performance ratio which combines both structure and a V-rail system. Since then, the Shapeoko 3 has changed to custom extrusions, a much heaver, 85mm x 55mm for the X- and Y- axes, and a specialized extrusion for the Z-axis.

Makerslide has the same basic profile as Misumi HFS5-2040 and one can add rail such as Openrail or V-groove rail as an alternative. See the Makerslide page for details.

Needs to be a minimum of .0747" (~2mm, 14ga) thick if made of steel for a small machine (the end plates on the original machine were 10ga mild steel[14]) [15]. Further discussion. 1/4" noted as being “overkill”[16]. The eShapeOko uses 2mm stainless steel (forum post on this and theorization about 3.175mm aluminum being enough in Re: New new end plates) --- confirmed by a machine on Reddit[17]. 6mm aluminum would be more rigid and lighter, but arguably not worth the extra expense.[18]

These simply need to provide a reasonable spacing for the coupler and sufficient rigidity to not cause undue flexing. The original machine used pairs of nylon spacers for each post, and a long M3 bolt, the initial iteration of the SO2 used pairs of single piece brass spacers, currently shipping kits use threaded aluminum hexagonal rod and M3 set screws.

Motion

Linear motion is a fundamental aspect of CNC, and usually has two aspects, motion and guidance.

The Shapeoko project uses Belts and Pulleys (for motion) with custom V-rail extrusions (for guidance), and the early generations used M8 threaded rod for the Z-axis (Acme rod was a frequent upgrade). Options include:

Note that Delrin may be damaged by exposure to certain lubricants such as WD-40.[32]

All Axes

Delrin V-wheels w/ precision shims and bearings are used on all axes of movement. Previously provided as separate parts, they are pre-assembled in newer kits. Unfortunately, this prevents most people from assessing the parts tolerances prior to assembly --- out-of-spec parts usually manifest as a slight wobble or click when the machine moves. Discussion and solution: Z Plate movement - solved (for me anyway) and V-Wheel Washer Issues

Note that due to the reduction of wheels for the X-axis plate in the current SO3 design, it is especially important that the bearings for it be properly pre-loaded.[33]

Please check your wheels after assembly to be certain that they work smoothly and that the bearings stay aligned. If you have any difficulties, check that the plate is flat, and that the washers are okay. If necessary, take the V-wheel apart and check that the bearing is seated all the way in and that there is no debris between the outer race of the bearing and the lip inside the V-wheel, because that could cause the bearing to twist (and seize) as the bolt was tightened. Sometimes, a bearing will get two rubber shields on one face -- check for that too.[34]

They are turned out of Delrin rod.[35] They may develop (temporary) flat spots if a machine sits idle, these will go away w/ usage.[36]

Adding additional wheels does not help as much as simply stiffening the part in question.[37]

Note that Delrin is an insulator and actually dissipates static electricity.

Sealed Miniature Ball Bearings. These are used in the Delrin V-wheels and Smooth Idler Wheels.

2RS indicates 2 rubber side shields. ZZ would indicate steel.

Bearings are rated by ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineers Committee) grades. Even the lowest, ABEC-1 bearings have a very low run-out (0.0003"), much less than the tolerance of the V-wheels or MakerSlide.[40]

These are used to allow for fine adjustments of the Delrin V-wheels against the MakerSlide --- they include threads which allow them to function w/o the need for a normal nut. cf., Eccentric Spacers below. They add the need to rotate the bolt in unison w/ the nut when making adjustments so as to maintain the connection. See the Eccentric Nut Spacer Placement section of the MakerSlide page.

These are used to allow for fine adjustments of the Delrin V-wheels against the MakerSlide. The original iteration used these in combination w/ a washer and nut, taking up more space, but allowing for simpler adjustment.

Note the standard design is intended for steel plates --- for plastic or aluminum: Amber Spyglass.

GT2 pulleys 5mm bore x 3 or GT2 pulleys 1/4" bore x 3. The original ShapeOko used MXL belts and pulleys, but GT2 offers better performance and less backlash. Note that while the set screws should take a 1.5mm hex key, a 1/16", which is slightly larger may also work, and being a snugger fit, will allow for applying more torque. Alternately try a Torx bit?[47] Metric set screws are usually M3 and ~4.75mm long and available from hardware stores, or specialty vendors(robotdigg). If clearance is suitable an ordinary M3 may be used.[48]

Note that the original SO1/2 and early versions of the SO3 used 6mm wide belts and matching pulleys. Newer SO3s and XL/XXL units use 9mm wide belts --- see Belts and pulleys.

The Shapeoko 1 used a 608ZZ Bearing 8x22x7[50] held in a Delrin or HDPE bearing plate.

Please note that this is a commodity part intended for fastening, so is not guaranteed to a high degree of precision (just enough to ensure that a nut will work anywhere along its length).[51] If you need precision, then you should test/evaluate before assembly (it may be that one end will be accurate enough).

Shapeoko 3 Z-axis

The Shapeoko 3 uses a belt-driven Z-axis, requiring an endless loop 6mm wide GT2 belt. Belike this could be replaced by a length of belt and a clamp which could be affixed where the fixed pulley is placed.

Tooling

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Universal Spindle Mount (PS20012)

Note that this can easily be adapted to fit a wide range of spindle sizes by varying the length of screws used. The original machine used a muffler clamp, and making a new spindle mount is something of a rite of passage.

Electronics

Motors

The Shapeoko 2 uses NEMA 17 or NEMA 23 stepper motors with 58 oz./in. or more torque, w/in some reasonable weight, and up to a maximum of ~125 oz./in. Ideally current rating would be matched to the electronics, for a gshield, 1.7--2A.[53]

Wiring

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Stepper Cable

18 or 20 gauge.[55] 4 (or more) conductor 18 gauge security cable is sold in bulk by the foot at most hardware stores, e.g., Home Depot's 18-4 CL3R Security Cbl Shld 1' @ 0.63, Part number 0000-249-865 Ed0345.18.10 <A>, listed by the foot on their site. Most larger hardware stores will have a carrel or rack near the electrical wiring area which has spools of wire which are sold by the foot. Note on the importance of secure wiring here: Re: Shielded cable or not

The size of the power supply should be at least 4.5A at 24V for an SO3 with NEMA23 motors. The size is based on the requirements of the stepper motors you choose, and if powering other accessories (such as a spindle as on a Nomad) the total requirements. Power Supply discussion

Electronics Stores, Specialty Vendors

Shapeoko 3/Nomad --- note that the Nomad needs a higher power rating than an SO3

Note that power supplies which do not work are also available such as:

www.amazon.com/T-Power-Adapter-2560x1440-resolution-Replacement/dp/B00N3FQD96 --- has an excellent labeled image of the power connector, but won't work since the positive connectors need to be up against the flat as is shown

The Shapeoko 2 used a Power Supply Adapter Cable/Connector-Adapter[64]: 5.5 mm x 2.5 mm Barrel Plug (Male by some descriptions, female in others --- Receptacle/socket seems to be the proper terminology[65]). Please note that this is a convenience, to provide a pair of raw wires to plug into the gShield, and a connector which maps up w/ that of the stock power supply for the SO2. It should have a central post (Male) which matches w/in that of the Output connector: 2.5mm x 5.5mm straight female center positive of the power supply[66]. Alternately, you may want to get a power supply which just provides screw terminals and accepts bare wires.

The size of the power supply should be at least 3.75A at 24V for an SO2 with NEMA17 motors. A larger supply (for example, a 4.5A) will work fine, and is needed for a machine with NEMA23 motors such as an SO3. The size is based on the requirements of the stepper motors you choose. Power Supply discussion

The Shapeoko 2 full kit ships with a 90 Watt power supply. See the Electronics page for more details. If you can't source a Power Pigtail then it would probably be most expedient to source a power supply which has direct terminals for connecting wires to. Please see Power Supply to GRBL for a discussion of wire colour. Described as having a "Output connector: 2.5mm x 5.5mm straight female center positive"[71] which is more typically described as a "Jack"[72].

Note that power supplies which do not work are also available such as:

www.amazon.com/T-Power-Adapter-2560x1440-resolution-Replacement/dp/B00N3FQD96 --- has an excellent labeled image of the power connector, but won't work since the positive connectors need to be up against the flat as is shown

Microcontroller

The microcontroller may be an all-in-one board such as an Azteeg X5 mini, or a pair of boards which fit together, one provides the logic (Controller Board), the other the high-voltage control circuitry (Stepper Shield), depending upon one's needs and budget.

Microcontrollers are defined by:

which firmware(s) they can run (the default for the Shapeoko in milling mode is Grbl)

how many axes they can control (by default, a Shapeoko needs 3, X-, Y- and Z-axes, one may add additional axes, or extruder(s) for 3D printing)

Arduino. Any Arduino 328P compatible board should work. Multiple vendors sell these boards, and price varies by vendor and features. Other control systems can be used, such as the Azteeg X5 mini which is a good option if one wishes to do 3D printing, see Advanced Electronics for other options.

Carbide Motion Machine Control Board --- included w/ the Shapeoko 3 as sold by Carbide 3D --- for replacement contact support@carbide3d.com and it will be replaced under warranty, or a purchase link provided to Shapeoko 3 owners.

Gradus M1 Pro(available from Panucatt) --- provides sockets for stepper drivers, supporting both Pololu style drivers such as the SD8825, SD6128, and A4988 and for the Bigfoot driver profile to accommodate higher current drivers such as the BSD4989

gShield. The shield is an expansion board which plugs into a controller board and provides an input for the higher voltage needed to drive the stepper motor and the electronics for controlling the stepper motors.

USB Cable

End Mills

End mills must be considered a consumable item, and can be a significant portion of one's CNC budget. See the Endmills: Specific Bit and Brand Recommendations on the Endmills page for some specific end mill suggestions and the Vendors page for a potential places to purchase from.

Additional / Commodity Items

There are a number of other items which one may need or will find useful:

Extra M3 and M5 washers --- these are pricey in low quantities, and are generally useful